You’d think of all the serious issues plaguing Olive Garden – long waits, the batteries in the pagers dying out, running out of bread sticks, etc – the last thing they’d have time to worry about is their wholesome family image being tarnished. But that’s exactly what’s stressing out the Garden’s bigwigs – though they’re doing everything they can to be gracious about it.

Playboy Playmate, Hugh Hefner’s girlfriend, and Girls Next Door star Kendra Wilkinson is a big fan of the OG. Which is what the cool people call it. So much so that she’s actually said Olive Garden is better than any restaurant in Italy. She’s constantly eating their food and blabbing about on in the show. But lest you think it’s some clever product placement, let us be clear that Olive Garden has nothing to do with it – and has been made mighty uncomfortable by the Playmate’s pasta fetish.

To the consternation of Olive Garden’s marketers, who have spent millions crafting the franchise’s family-friendly image, the 23-year-old adult-entertainment star and aspiring real-estate mogul repeatedly uses her spotlight to rave about its midprice eateries. Wilkinson hoists Olive Garden doggie bags in the air and extols its chicken parmigiana. She once scandalized European diners by declaring the Olive Garden preferable to any restaurants in Italy.

Wilkinson, whose tan skin and blonde-white hair project classic California, isn’t on the payroll. She is a rogue brand ambassador: a celebrity who is genuinely, publicly devoted to a product or service, even if he or she doesn’t quite embody the values that the brand’s managers may be trying to convey.

Executives at Olive Garden declined to discuss the uninvited spokesmodel. One official said the company has tried to walk a fine line with its response, maintaining the chain’s wholesome image without alienating potential customers. “I don’t feel comfortable talking about this . . . because it is a complicated issue for the brand,” said Michele Kay, executive vice president of WPP Group’s Grey advertising firm, which handles the Olive Garden account.

Wilkinson said that when she started praising the restaurant on television and on her very popular MySpace page, it never crossed her mind what the folks at Olive Garden might think. “I don’t speak about it to get paid for it,” she said. “I speak about it because I love it. I understand they’re a family restaurant, but I think it can’t hurt them to have a little spice.”

Apparently Olive Garden doesn’t want to offend Kendra or any of her (presumably) millions of fans, nor do they want images of frolicking bunnies associated with their brand. As long as Kendra’s not walking into her local restaurant wearing the bunny costume it seems like everything should be fine. If not I’m sure TGI Friday’s would love to have Kendra promote their Jack Daniel’s Chicken & Shrimp or something.

Here’s Kendra talking about how much she loves Olive Garden. Header image of Kendra at the ESPYs on July 17th. Images thanks to PR Photos.

OGl needs to get over itself, say thank u Kendra and give her free food for life. We all know that the OG is a chain, recipes r the same all over price is reasonable and Kendra plus many other single people love it.

Okay, I haven’t been to an Olive Garden in a few years, but has Kendra ever BEEN to Italy? If so, she must have spent all her food money at McDonald’s. Because there is no way OG is better than an authentic Italian restaurant!

HANG ON CANDYKAY………….. I will try to give you back your minute and a half, so we both can go back to posting and funning…… AND KRIS, It did not affect me either, until CANDYKAY, was upset, by the NO Talent Kendra… Why was this a story????? Can’t Olive Garden send her out the door with a basket a bread sticks and a bowl of salad??? Maybe she will be happy then??? And go away?

I have been a guest at the Playboy Mansion for 12 years. I’ve seen
the girls come and go and I’ve chatted with Hef’s wife Kimberly from
time to time as our children were schooled together. I have to say,
that Kendra is probably one of my favorites because she has the
courage to be herself.
Ok…so if you don’t like Hef or his lifestyle or the fact that the
girls are fine with being one of 3 or 4 or 7…or whatever…but I
can tell you that Mr. Hefner is one of the most generous, kind men I
have ever met. Despite what the slew of you may think, the people who
visit the mansion on a regular basis (many of them are over 60) are
people who Hef has known for 40 plus years. Everyone is treated with
great respect, including the girls, and no person is judged on wether they
like The Sizzler or the Ivy….Hef has a great gift for loving people
for just who they are and not for JUDGING….I happen to love the soup
at the Olive Garden too….and I doubt anyone would ever refer to me
as trailer park trash…
Thank God Kendra feels good enough about herself not to have to jump
on the ridiculous and embarassing “HOLLWOOD BANDWAGON.” No doubt that
is what Hef loves about her…and despite what you may all
think….there is a great deal of LOVE in that house that has nothing
to do with SEX…. The Olive Garden should be thrilled to get all of the Publicity….it is about their food right? I doubt anyone will ever associate the Olive Garden with a place to have an orgy…unless it is with food…

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Chill out Kenslea – no one said Hef is an a-hole (at least not on this thread), I think he seems cool.

Kendra may be “real” but her real self is extremely annoying to many people.

I never said anyone who likes OG is trailer trash–what I said is that if you prefer OG over real, authentic Italian food (which Kendra said she did), then you have trailer trash taste. That goes for liking any cheaper quality food over the authentic food that the cheaper food is modeled after.

Why does it surprise anyone that this plastic blond likes plastic Italian food. She found a good gimmick to get some free garlic bread, which you would have trouble finding in and real restaurant in Italy. It is people like this that makes the Europeans think of us all as classless fat people who wear cowboy hats. Ok she is not fat, but eating like that she will be. Manga bene tu grande idiota!

So she’s a non-official “roving” ambassador. The Garden should simply be happy for the free publicity. Besides, I don’t even think the images of “The Girls Next Door” are even that anti-family/”sexy” – the last thing Hef is doing with those girls is having sex. They are an unconvential family in a nation of unconventional families.

@Alecto- Kendra actually does eat all the carbs and crap she says she does. And no, she doesn’t throw it back up. She is very blessed to have a good metabolism (not to mention she doesn’t eat gigantic american portions) plus she’s super athletic and works it all off.

As for most of the celebs that claim “Oh I’m a bottomless pit, I could eat for days! I eat cake and bagels all day long and don’t even think about it”, I call major Bullshit. But kendra is actually legit.

Kendra’s favorite birthday gift was a gift certifcate to OG. she is entitled to like their food regardless of how authentic it is or much it costs.
So many of you are snobs putting her down for her taste buds, what it costs is not important, it is how it tastes to you personally.

Fully paid up pretentious snob here (btw, Oxa – good food is good food, regardless of what it costs)

As I’ve said before, I’ve no idea what Olive Garden is like, but I cannot see how it would be better than most independent restaurants in Italy (save for some ultra- touristy dives in the centre of Rome or something) – most of which is cheap in comparison to similar restaurants elsewhere in Europe.

Sometimes you just want cheesy, reliable or convenient – which is fine, but don’t pretend it’s any better than it is.

so i used to work for the og like 5 years ago and this news sounds so crazy!!! first off there was a manager that was fucking every server/ hostess there (not me). and he even got my number from my employment forms and called me months after i had quit working there to try and “hang out”.

also about a year after not being employed there they had a huge outbreak of hepatitis!!! ppl who ate there got sick (i think 4-5 ppl) and everyone who worked there had to get a shot!!!

so wtf are they upset about? free publicity should be encouraged despite who it comes from!!!!!

so we are all arguing about what the hell she said to get olive garden to react and in a sense “freak out”!!! who cares??!?? the reason you all care is due to the simple fact that we as an advertised economy. thats what runs us and makes our heart keep pumping. dont any of you realize that? this is the way of our unfortante life. i only wish i could of lived in the time where making sure your farm was good enough to hold up the year in feeding your family and having great advetures living with out so much day to day. Yes there was stress , BUT not as much to stress about.. hit me back at mcchitty42@hotmail.com